Documentation-specific Rails app?

rubyonrails-talk
1

I'm looking for a simple CMS that's oriented toward authoring documentation for a SaaS or similar. I've had a search of ruby-toolbox, and the only thing I found there was `docbox`, a Rails 2.1 app from 5 years ago! Before I break out Refinery or another general-purpose tool, I wonder if there are any projects out there that are more suited for the unique requirements of documentation, and preferably if they are available in Rails 4. I don't want to spend a bunch of time making this from scratch if there's something already out there that scratches this itch.

Thanks in advance,

Walter

2

Just wanting to be clear: you are looking for something to document your SaaS, not a SaaS that is for documentation, correct?

If the former, then you might take a look at the various static site generators out there such as jekyll, middleman, frank, and so on. They all let you create the html/css/js framework around your pages, even being able to use what you have in Rails to maintain look and feel, and let your writers focus on content. Then it's all delivered up statically (read: FAST) by the server.

3

I'm looking for a simple CMS that's oriented toward authoring documentation for a SaaS or similar. I've had a search of ruby-toolbox, and the only thing I found there was `docbox`, a Rails 2.1 app from 5 years ago! Before I break out Refinery or another general-purpose tool, I wonder if there are any projects out there that are more suited for the unique requirements of documentation, and preferably if they are available in Rails 4. I don't want to spend a bunch of time making this from scratch if there's something already out there that scratches this itch.

Just wanting to be clear: you are looking for something to document your SaaS, not a SaaS that is for documentation, correct?

If the former, then you might take a look at the various static site generators out there such as jekyll, middleman, frank, and so on. They all let you create the html/css/js framework around your pages, even being able to use what you have in Rails to maintain look and feel, and let your writers focus on content. Then it's all delivered up statically (read: FAST) by the server.

Yes, I am looking for the former. I was hoping for something Rails-based so I could turn loose an army of alpha/beta testers on developing and refining the documentation. Something Wiki-like, in other words, with a through-the-web editing option.

Thanks for the suggestion, I'm already aware of Middleman and using it on other sites.

Walter